Read Excerpts from a Rare Civil War Diary
Read transcripts from the 1865 diary of a Civil War guard.
Jan 23, 2017
GUEST: This is a diary from my great-great-great-grandfather that covers most of the year 1865, when he was in the service in various places. He served as a guard in a veteran volunteer unit around Washington, D.C. He mentions in the diary about Lincoln being assassinated and Lincoln dying the next day. He is a guard at the prison camp where they had the conspirators detained, and he was at the prison standing guard when they hung them. He speaks about daily life and different things that happened in different camps where he was at, and that sort of thing.
APPRAISER: And you brought a transcription of the diary. Who produced that transcription?
GUEST: In 1987, my mother asked the Missouri Archives if they could transcribe it. And they sent it to the University of Missouri at Rolla, and they transcribed it, because the writing was getting very faint and hard to read.
APPRAISER: Did they keep a copy...
GUEST: I believe they did keep a copy, yes.
APPRAISER: That's a really wonderful thing to do, if you have a Civil War diary of that importance, to also share it with other people. There are two events I would like to point out that we would look for in that year in particular. It would be, of course, the Lincoln assassination, which your... help me out.
GUEST: It's three greats.
APPRAISER: Your great-great-great-grandfather mentions. And then the other thing is that he was a prison guard where the four conspirators were executed. I don't want to open up the diary, because it's just too fragile to do that.
GUEST: Right.
APPRAISER: But here in the transcription you can clearly see that the event is mentioned on the assassination, where he is actually at a different camp—he just hears about the Lincoln assassination. And then later, he is, on that Friday, July 7, in 1865, he is actually at the camp itself.
GUEST: Right, he's outside of the walls at the prison.
APPRAISER: The condition, unfortunately, is not that great. The writing is very faded. But the contents is so important that I think for this diary, for the period, with the contents you describe, it is... at auction, a conservative estimate would be around $3,000 to $4,000.
GUEST: Wow, that's quite a bit.
APPRAISER: And it's a great, great treasure.
At the 2008 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW event in Wichita, a guest brought his ancestor's fragile diary from 1865 to the Books & Manuscripts table. Like many Civil War diaries, the writing depicts daily updates about weather, health, duties and travel. But this particular slice of memoir also shares a personal perspective about poignant moments in United States history: the surrender of General Robert E. Lee on April 9, 1865, the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln a week later, and the execution of the assassination co-conspirators that July. Books expert Ian Ehling explained that although the condition of the diary was not great, the contents for the period were significant enough to command an auction estimate of $3,000 to $4,000, a value that remained unchanged in 2016.
The below excerpts depict these two events from the perspective of a young serviceman who held guard positions at various camps in the Washington, D.C., area, including a stint as a guard during the time that the co-conspirators of Lincoln's assassination were executed at what is now Fort McNair in Washington.
Diary of John Holland (Age 23), March - December 1865
Wednesday, April 5, 1865
In camp at Winchester. Raining most all day. Remained in camp all day. Nothing going on of consequence. Expected marching orders as it was the talk that we were going on down the valley. Some troops left early in the morning but did not learn where they went to.
The guest's ancestor sits next to his wife. "He's actually my three-great-grandmother's second husband," the guest said.
Friday, April 7, 1865
Moved camp at Winchester to a better camping ground about 600 yards north west. Weather milder. Rained all night. Began to think that marching orders in Regard to going down the valley had Played out. It was a very disagreeable place to camp as there was so many dead horses laying around.
Sunday, April 9, 1865
In camp at Winchester Va. Weather cloudy in the morning. Rained all afternoon. Slept most all day. Came off guard at 9 a.m. Received the news of Genl Lee's surrender to grant at 11 P.M. Great cheering most all night in town by the soldiers.
Monday, April 10, 1865
In camp near Winchester. Great excitement over news of the surrender of Genl Lee. Cheering kept up all day in the different camps. Weather. slow Rain most of the day. 200 guns was fired for the surrender of Genl Lee.
Friday, April 14, 1865
In camp near Winchester. Got up feeling very bad. Orders come that we would have Brigade Review. Went out on Review in the afternoon. Was reviewed by Lieut. Col Bird Comdg Brigade, Weather Pleasant. Received the news of the assassination of President Lincoln and attempt on Seward, and vice President Johnson. Received the news of the riot in Baltimore.
Sunday, April 16, 1865
In camp near WInchester. Got up feeling better. Got orders to prepare for genl Inspection. Did not feel quite so well then. Got ready for Review at 12 1/2 oclock. Was reviewed by Genl Carroll and several other Brigadiers. The Regt turned out in good order. Weather Pleasant. Dress parade at 6 P.M. had the official acct of the assn of A. Lincoln and that he was dying at 1 a.m. when the last news was Recd.
Tuesday, April 18, 1865
In camp near Winchester. Got up feeling sore all over but it soon wore off, Weather cloudy and raining a little. Strolled around camp. Nothing transpired of any consequence. Had dress parade at six oclock P.M. after Dress Parade the orderly tryed to drill the company at shoulder arms and order arms but we could not see it. Received orders on dress Parade that all labor should cease on the morrow in honor of the burial of A. Lincoln.
Wednesday, April 19, 1865
In camp near Winchester the weather was very warm all quiet in camp bells tolling and minute guns fired and flags draped in morning in token of abrahams death funeral services was preached in town a great many of the boys went to meeting it was the most solemn day past in service. it appeared as if every soldier in camp had lost some near relative
...
Friday, July 7, 1865
Camp Stoneman The Regt was formed at 6 a.m. Preparatory to the marching to town. at about 6 1/2 started in connection with the 1st & 8th commanded by Brig genl Morgan comdg 2nd Brigade arrived at the arsenal at 9 1/2 feeling disagreeable from heat & dust. our Regt guarded the outside the remainder of the Regt the inside. at 12.P.M. "the assassins of" A. "Lincoln" was launched off into Eternity at about 2 P.M. we left the Prison yard for camp. the whole Brigade was completely demoralized before they got to camp. weather was so hot and Roads dusty made it disagreeable I was about Played. Execution of Herrold, Payne atzerodt Mrs. Surratt.
Saturday, July 8, 1865
Camp Stoneman got up feeling better than when I Retired the Previous Evening Remained in camp most all day as the weather so warm. Nothing transpired of consequence. No drill as it was washday. dress parade at 6.P.M. Some talk of Leaving soon. Rained very hard for a short time in the afternoon. Great excitement in Relation to the execution of the assassins. in relation to the Right or wrong. went down to the River bathing after dress Parade.
Related:
The Washington Post: One of the last grim scenes of the Civil War was caught on camera
Dylan Hayley Leavitt was ANTIQUES ROADSHOW's digital associate producer from 2012 to 2017.
